Bactifeed: A Craft Brew For The Ages

It’s Friday evening and the Superintendent at the Fred Enke Municipal Golf Course, Dave Herman, has got a tasty little brew going. Tonight, at about 10:00 pm, it’ll be fully mature and ready to pour. Party time. Rich and foamy, subtle on the nose, and a little nutty with some crisp, earthy tones, it’s going to be a brew – a Bactifeed turfgrass brew, that is – of the finest order.

Later on that night, in the wee hours of the morning, with every last “pint” poured on the fairways, tees, and greens, the party is over. While nobody is inebriated, there is a whole lot of “happy” grass on the course. “Under the influence” from swallowing trillions of soil-essential microbes, the turf has never been healthier. The concoction is definitely having a positive effect. And Dave, along with the rest of the management team, all smiles regarding the condition of the course.

Parker Cohn

“Professional brewmaster” definitely isn’t a skill that your average superintendent would consider necessary for the job. (Leave that one for the boys at the local craft beer joint.) But, thankfully, when it comes to applying Bactifeed – a rising “star” in the turfgrass industry – the brewing process is actually incredibly simple. IE: pour the Bactifeed powder into a tank, add the appropriate amount of water, and wait 7 to 10 days for maturation. Then apply the “liquid gold” via the existing irrigation system.

The key question Dave – and other superintendents looking for safe, organic, low-cost, highly-effective turf-enhancing treatments – needed to know was, well, what exactly is Bactifeed? And why is it so effective?

Bactifeed is, essentially, an organic soil treatment system. The product, which is delivered in powder form, is a proprietary blend of dehydrated microbes, enzymes, and beneficial fungi that exist in the naturally healthy soil. Since the essential nutrients and active ingredients are dormant, they need to be brought to life. Enter the brewing process!

“When the powder is combined with water the microbes begin to wake up and after about six hours they begin replicating every 15 to 20 minutes,” says Parker Cohn, Sales Engineer for Bactifeed. “The brewing process typically takes five to seven days to get a good batch going. During this time you’re literally making trillions of soil essential microbes.”

Another question: Is this an “instant” remedy for unhealthy turf? The short answer: No. And this is one one of the key differences between many fertilizers that are often just a quick “Band-aid.” With Bactifeed the process is long-term and sustainable. The “root” of the problem is addressed. And the results will happen with consistent and regular treatments. Results will be visibly noticed in weeks, not overnight.

“Bactifeed improves the health of the turf on a molecular level within the soil, and that takes time,” says Cohn. “The reason our product is able to do such amazing things is due to the power of biology that we unleash in the brewing process.”

These microbes that are created, and absorbed into the soil, are the miracle workers. They increase the efficiency and fertility of the soil by metabolizing minerals, breaking down organic material like thatch, aerating the soil, and increasing water retention. Within days the soil biology is changed and this translates into healthier turf that looks better, can withstand stress and compaction much better, and, certainly, “plays” better for every golfer that plays the course.

While golf and the turfgrass industry currently represents just a fraction of the business for Bactifeed, they are fully aware of its massive growth potential in the game. “As operational costs increase, such as water, fertilizer, wages, and so forth, there is a growing demand for solutions that allow operators and management to produce a higher quality playing surface while using fewer resources,” says Cohn.

Unquestionably, Bactifeed poses a significant change from the status quo of turfgrass management. Therefore, educating superintendents about the product is going to be essential for Bactifeed if they want to develop a greater presence in the market. “As these operational costs increase, we are definitely seeing that more superintendents are open to learning about products like Bactifeed that allow them to do more with less,” says Cohn.

As each application – each “brew” – improves soil composition, fertility, root structure, and overall turf health, no doubt more superintendents will jump on the Bactifeed bandwagon. After all, it’s not often you can mix-up a brew this good, this effective, and this easy in the golf industry.

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